Giveaway: Two Boston Marathon Entries!

You read that right.

Salonpas, makers of the famous pain patch and sponsor of the Boston Marathon,  is giving away two entries to the 2011 Boston Marathon on April 18. In case you didn’t know, the entry fee for Boston this year was $130 and it sold out in six hours. Ouch.

• Did you qualify, but were unable to register before it sold out?
• Have you always dreamed of running Boston, but feel that qualifying is out of the realm of possibility?
• Have you run Boston before and want to do it again?
• Do you live in the Boston area (or within driving distance) and are looking for something to do on April 18?
• Or, do you just want to meet me so we can “pass gas” our way to the finish? (fingers crossed I will be there)

You do not have to have a qualifying time to be eligible. You just need to be able to finish in six hours.

The winners will also receive a Salonpas sponsorship pack including a t-shirt, patch samples, massager, said pin and backpack.

A little bit more about Salonpas: They are the makers of the first FDA-approved over the counter pain relief patch. The active ingredients in the approximately 3” x 4” patch are menthol and  methyl salicylate (an anti-inflammatory). You put the patch on a sore spot and wear it for 8-12 hours,  and should get some pain relief. The patch will begin working within an hour. Feel free to wear it while naked (they don’t say that, but I do).

These patches have only been in the US since 2008, but have been sold in Asia since the 1930s. “The patches also deliver their medicine directly to the site of a person's pain. This may eliminate some of the side effects that come with taking pills. For instance, some analgesics are likely to cause an upset stomach unless they're taken with food.” (source)

Feel free to visit: www.salonpas.us for more detailed information. You can also find Salonpas on Facebook (www.facebook.com/salonpas) or on Twitter (www.twitter.com/MRSALONPAS).

Lord knows I’ve had my share of aches and pains, so I have tried Salonpas products and can testify that they work. I put mine on before bed and wear it all night. The ultra thin patch adheres effectively to the skin and will stay in tough areas such as knees, hips and asses.

To enter: Leave a comment about why you want to run Boston this year. Make it as long, short, dramatic, graphic, imaginative as you want. Please leave only one comment. Know that when you enter you are committing to the race (getting yourself to Boston, lodging, etc.). Please do not post an entry for someone else. The person entering MUST leave a comment themselves.

Giveaway will close at 5pm (MDT) on February 13. At that time, two winners will be chosen by a “panel of experts,” including me (not randomly, but according to your entry story) and highlighted on SUAR. 

Fine print:

• Salonpas provided the two Boston entries and sent me with a Boston Marathon sponsorship pack (t-shirt, massager, pin, backpack, Salonpas samples). I did not pay anything for any of it.
• Contest  open to US residents only.
• The winners will be chosen by me and a “panel’ of runners who haven’t entered the giveaway.
• Lodging, airfare, etc. not included

Best of luck friends,

SUAR

Somnio Shoe Review

Now it’s time to put away the excitement of this week and settle down with a product review.

About a month ago Somnio asked if I would try out their custom fitted running shoes. As I usually say when I am offered free things to try, especially those related to running, “Okay, but can I bake you a cake or rub your feet or something? How ‘bout I buy you a drink?” I feel like we should barter.

About Somnio

Let me tell you how Somnio works, because it’s a very cool thing for us runners who are looking for that perfect fit, but haven’t had much luck. In their own words, “Somnio is founded on the principle that shoes should adapt to the individual and improve biomechanics.”

The question is, how does Somnio create the perfect fit for you? There are four variables that Somnio interchanges in order to make it a custom fit:

• Variable cushioning in both the front and rear of the shoe. Depending on the type of surface you run on (asphalt? dirt?) and your weight, Somnio determines the type of cushioning you will need in two distinct parts of the shoe.
• Adjustable verus wedge inserts to fine tune your biomechanics. Pronate? No problem. Somnio adds an insert to correct your particular biomechanical issue.
• Customizable foot beds to match your arch height and foot shape.

Because each foot is looked at individually, each shoe is customized for each foot. No more buying a pair of shoes to correct pronation on one side even though you don’t have it on the other! In fact, if your feet are different sizes, Somnio can cater to that as well.

One thing to keep in mind is that these shoes run small. I typically wear an 8 regular shoe, 9 running shoe, and 9.5 Somnio shoe.

Getting Fitted

To get fitted for my shoes I went to a local retailer in Boulder, Z-Coil. They did the typical gait analysis on the treadmill. During this process the shoe fitter uses gait analysis software that compares side by side and forward facing/rear facing views of the runner. Video speed is increased or decreased to provide proper analysis.

Another part of the fitting process included:

1. Standing on Somnio’s patented Line-Up device.
2. The fitter adjusting the varus until the knee is aligned.
3. The fitter using the arch ball to select the correct footbed.
4. The fitter using the chart to select the correct Ind-X inserts.

And voila! The shoe is ready to try. Here’s what I ended up with, the Pacemaker:

Running in My New Somnios

Before I took a run, I got some candid shots with my new kicks:

Laying down:

Chillaxin’ (dumb word, but I’ve never used it). Man them shoes are white:

With one-eyed, three legged Lucky (and my gross slippers that smell like ass):

By the toilet. Won’t be the last time these shoes see a toilet:

On the counter because according to my kids this is where shoes and fingernail clippings and bloody tissues belong:

Then, the moment of truth. I ran for the first time in the Somnios. The fit was great. Aesthetically speaking, they are a wider shoe and have a bulkier appearance than I am used to. They are, however, a light shoe, which I love (it is the lightest weight shoe they sell). The cushioning felt comfortable and was not too marshmallowy or too hard/stiff (that’s what she said). I actually did an interval workout in these and was pleasantly surprised at how natural it felt to do speed work in a shoe that I had not broken in properly (I never said I was smart). One thing I really liked was the wide toe box. Some shoes I have tried really narrow at the front causing my toes to cram together. One negative: these shoes seem to have a flatter outsole to them which sometimes made me feel I was slapping the ground.

I am now going to start rotating these shoes with my Mizuno Wave Inspires. Apparently circulating the wear of your running shoes while training is a good way to extend the life of your shoes (duh!). It also helps prevent injury by using different muscles and ensuring you’re not running in worn down shoes.

Of course, as Jimmy pointed out in the comments, the real moments of truth come in the future miles to be put on these shoes. This may not be the case with everyone, but if a shoe feels good to me on my first few runs in it, I generally continue to like it. Times that I have had to return shoes have been after wearing them only once or twice. I have known right away if they will work or not. Certainly, there could be a time when this does not hold true.  If I do have any major concerns about these shoes or they don’t serve me well over the long run, I will be sure to do a second review.

Price. It’s what you want to know about. Prices range from $135 (the cost of the above shoe) to $160. It’s steep, but my bet is you are paying $80-$110 for a good pair of running shoes right now. You get what you pay for. In this case, you are paying for the custom fit and a very high quality shoe.

You can find a retailer near you on the Somnio website.

Thumbs up, Somnio and thanks for the chance to try these babies out.

Don’t forget my Take the Pain Away Giveaway, which ends tomorrow. Salonpas has generously offered to give out 12 instead of 10 packs, so your chances of winning just got better. Salonpas is also hosting a Pain Free and Proud contest to encourage people to share their stories about how Salonpas has helped them.  They are accepting entries for the second cycle of the contest up until Sunday August 15th. The Grand Prize is a 2-day spa getaway vacation for two people to Miraval Spa in Tucson, AZ.

Fine Print: Somnio gave me these shoes to review free of charge.

Salonpas Giveaway - Take the Pain Away!

Ever heard of Salonpas? Me neither.

They contacted me to take a look at a sample of their stuff and to do a giveaway to ten readers. Basically, they are the makers of the first FDA approved over the counter pain relief patch. The active ingredients in the approximately 3” x 4” patch are menthol and  methyl salicylate (an anti-inflammatory). You put the patch on a sore spot and wear it for 8-12 hours,  and should get some pain relief. The patch will begin working within an hour. Feel free to wear it while naked (they don’t say that, but I do).

Since I don’t have any sore spots right now (lucky me) I wasn’t able to try the patch for myself. If you are a winner, I’d love to hear how it worked for you.

There are two forms of patches: one for general pain relief and one for arthritis relief.

Here’s what is included in the giveaway gift pack:

• One pain relief patch
• One arthritis relief patch
• One Salonpas water bottle (do not put in the dishwasher)
• One sweat towel
• One pedometer (who needs a Garmin?)

I have ten of these packs to give away. Who wants one?

To enter (leave a comment for each):

1. Leave a comment about why you need a pain patch (current pain? preventatively?)
2. Put this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, etc
3. Become a f0llower of my blog
4. Tell me a story about the worst running injury you’ve ever had. Get graphic.

Giveaway ends Friday, August 13. Your lucky day.

Fine print:

• Salonpas provided this giveaway. I did not pay anything for it.
• Contest only open to US and Canadian residents
• The winners will be chosen at random by Random.org
• Check back August 13 to see if you won!
• If I don’t hear back from the winners within 2 days after posting that they’ve won, I’ll Random.org more names